, 1887-12-08

could be made to apply to all stream
alike and would protect portion G
each run of fish. The penalty 70
violating the law should have a 10y
minimum, as it Is difficult TO Obtal
convictions. where the discretion o
the court is limited in the directlo
of lenity. The maximum, how
ever, should be high, so that offend
ers could be adequately punlshe'
where the Offense is repeated.
CATTLE QUARANTINE.
This office is often in receipt o
proclamations from other states ant
territories and from the department
of Agriculture at Washington an
nouncing infected districts for cattl
and prohibiting the importation 0
cattle therefrom. So prevalent anC
so virulent have certain diseases lik,
pleurO pneumonia become, that th,
regulation of the movement of stool
has become a necessity to preven
the determination of the heads of the
country. This territory is entirely
unprotected in that regard and
suggest TO your honorable body the
prOpristy of formulating laws mod
eled after those of other states, where
the subject has received due atten-
ton, by which the herds and flock:
of Washington may be protected
from contact with animals from ID
fected districts.
ARBOR DAY.
In most of the states and terrific
ries of the west and in several of the
eastern states day of comparative
rest, called "Arbor Day." has been
instituted by law On this day
which Is announced by executive
proclamation, as is Thanksgiving
Day, the people are expected to
plant trees, shrubs and vines. Les
sons are taught the children in the
public schools as TO the effect of for
est denudation upon atmospheric
phenomena; pictures are drawn of
countries where at this time thore Is
nothing but sterility, but where ruins
exist that denote that at no very dis
tant period the country was rich, fer
tile and prosperous. Each child is
taught by the school master and the
fact is brought home to the attention
of the people on Arbor Day, that who
ever plants tree or shrub, or con-
signs seed to the earth. is doing a
mite to avert such fate from his own
country. Thus, III addition to the
mere ulitilitarian idea, there occurs a
cultivation of the gentler sentiments,
which we as people have been ac-
cused of neglecting, if not ignoring
III our eager pursuit of wealth. l be-
lieve tho people would be glad to have
you institute this festival in WASH
ingtoD Territory.
THE NATIONAL GUARD.
The report of the Adjutant Gener-
al shows the condition of the militia
and National Guard. The latter or
ganization should be placed on a Sc
cure footing by the enactment of a
law under which it will be possible to
maintain a strict discipline. A body
of armed men, without discipline is
one of the most dangerous things
that can be devised. Military es-
Establishments are mere machines, by
which the energies of numbers of
men gre brought into action in obed-
fence to the will of one, and unless
they can be completely so controlled
they should not exist. All officers
and men of the National Guard
should be amenable to q court martie
al. An important matter men,
toned in this report is the obtaining
credit at the War Department at
Washington for the considerable
sum due this Territory from the
State of Oregon for arms and mu-
nitions loaned during the Indian
war of 1877. Settlement of this
claim has been long delayed, and it
would probably be of good effect to
memorialize Congress on the subject
at this time.
INSPECTION OF COAL MINES.
The report of the Inspector of
Coal Mines, which is presented here
with contains very full information
in regard to the extent and condition
of our coal mines and the magnitude
of the industry. On page Is, of the
will be found some sugges
tions in regard to the present laws
on the subject, which are worthy of
attention. 1t is especially impor-
tant that the inspector should be in
dependent of the mine owners, as his
principal duty is to enforce compli =
ance on their part with the rules de-
vised for the safety OF miners. The
Importance of making strict rules
and rigidly enforcing them can be
understood by every one who has de-
scended into the mines and seen
how entirely the miners inside are at
the mercy of those who are on guard
above. An insufficient appliance or
a careless man at the top may at any
moment cause the destruction of all
those below.
l am inclined to think that over
looking the mines of q whole COM
monwealth and caring for the lives
of thousands of men is too much re-
sponsibility to fig upon one officer.
The laws might be amended SO as to
make it the duty of the grand jury
of each county to visit the mines IN a
body or if that should be thought
too expensive, committee of their
number to inspect the mines and re-
port their condition to the full jury
fer certifcation to the court, as in
the case of the inspection of jails and
other public institutions. The grand
jury is a popular body, it is always
fresh from the people, and on &C
count of the method of its selection,
and its various and changing constit-
uents, it is the most difficult body to
control that is known to the laws. l
believe that good will result from in
vesting it with these additional func-
tions.
OTHER REPORTS.
Accompanying this message you
will find reports of
The Board of Health.
The Board of Pilot Commissioners,
The Territorial Librarian,
The Commissioners to locate
school for Defective Youth,
The Commissioners to locate In